


Love Never Dies

by KaibaSlaveGirl34



Series: The Lost Boys Stories and Crossovers [5]
Category: Lost Boys (Movies)
Genre: Cold as Ice, Divorce, F/M, Familial Abuse, Heart, Ice Queen, Mental Health Issues, Original Character as Member of the Family, Psychologists & Psychiatrists, Snow and Ice, Unconventional Style, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2011-08-04
Updated: 2011-09-11
Packaged: 2017-10-22 05:44:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/234495
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KaibaSlaveGirl34/pseuds/KaibaSlaveGirl34
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After moving to Santa Carla with her family, Ice Queen Celia Emerson finds herself familiarly drawn by David, but is afraid to be with him because of her past. David, however, can't resist talking to her, and is determined to change her mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Ice Queen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Harry2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harry2/gifts).



> Title: Love Never Dies
> 
> Author: [The Song Of Luthien](http://www.fanfiction.net/u/1421483/The_Song_of_Luthien)
> 
> Rating: PG-13- violence, language, and sensuality
> 
> Summary: After moving to Santa Carla with her family, Ice Queen Celia Emerson finds herself familiarly drawn by David, but is afraid to be with him because of her past. David on the other hand is fascinated by her and can't resist talking to her and is determine to change her mind. Simple right? But Michael and the others won't allow it.
> 
> Characters: Celia, David, Michael, etc...
> 
> Pairings: David + Celia
> 
> Theme: Only One by Yellowcard
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Lost Boys. All of it (except for Celia) belongs to Joel Shumacher!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Celia Emerson.. :)

Love Never Dies

“Isn’t Santa Carla beautiful, guys?” Lucy looked back towards her children — Michael, Sam and Celia.

Celia looked at the beach from her car window and said, “Nothin’ like Phoenix.”

“Oh, honey,” Lucy sighed. “I know it’s been hard moving, but your grandfather is getting old and he needs our help.”

“Yeah, Ceely, and maybe he made you another stuffed muskrat as a present,” laughed Michael. “How about that?”

“How about you shut the hell up?” Celia snapped.

“Celia, language!” Lucy told her daughter. Celia sighed irritably and looked back towards the window. When Lucy’s husband died of cancer two years ago, she met and married another man named Wyatt; Wyatt was kind and decent, but his true nature was later revealed. He would physically abuse her and the children. It took an affect to everyone, but mostly to Celia. Every time she took a beating, she became cold and distant to everyone around her and only kept to herself. After Wyatt left them for another woman, everyone thought that Celia would go back to be herself. But the abuse had made its mark.

The ‘Ice Queen’ was the name her brothers dubbed her as her title after her favorite Hans Christensen Anderson fairy tale. Celia hated it, but she knew it was true. After her father died and what Wyatt did to her and her family, Celia’s heart became like ice, and the pain became numb.

“I can’t believe Grandpa chose to live in a place with the most gang activity,” Celia said bitterly. “It even beat out Los Angeles and Chicago!”

“Well, Grandpa always did love the beach, and Santa Carla has the most beautiful beaches.”

“Hey, Mom,” said Sam, “I read that the boardwalk is where everyone hangs out. You think we can go?”

“I suppose we can,” Lucy said as she got out of the car. “Let’s just get our things inside and try getting settled.”

Celia got her bags out of the car and headed towards the house with her family. The door opened and Grandpa came out with a big grin on his face. “Hey! I was wondering when you were going to show up!”

“Hey, Dad,” Lucy said as she hugged her father.

“Ouch! My hair!” Grandpa said, patting his braid; he then turned to his grandchildren and smiled. “Hey, kids!”

“Hey, Gramps,” Celia said as she entered the house without looking back. While walking around the house, she could hear her mother and grandfather talking.

“How’s she doing?”

“The doctor said she seemed to be getting better, but it doesn’t look like it.” Lucy explained. “She’ll just shut herself in her room all day and never come out. The doctor told me that if the behavior continues… I might have to-”

“She might have to be put in a mental hospital,” Michael cut in.

“But Celia is not insane!” Grandpa argued.

“That’s what I said!” Lucy agreed. She was about to say something else, but Celia had heard enough. She went upstairs and went into the room that she always spent time in whenever she was there. Celia sat on the bed and felt the angry tears rushing to her eyes.

 _‘A mental hospital? Why didn’t Mom tell me?’_ Celia thought angrily. _‘Doesn’t she know I can take care of myself?’_

Celia laid down on the bed, curled herself into a ball and thought to herself before falling asleep, _'I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy…’_

* * *

“Celia? Sweetheart, are you ready to go?” Lucy came into the room and saw her daughter unpacking her things. “You’re just unpacking?”

“Yep.” Celia murmured, putting on her favorite hoodie and putting a dress she never worn before inside the closet.

“We better get going if we want to go to the boardwalk. Mike and Sam are-”

“When were you going to tell me about what the doctor said?” Celia turned to her mother. Lucy was silent.

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I was going to tell you soon,” Lucy sighed. “And I was hoping you wouldn’t find out that way.”

“Oh, and how soon? So you can tell Michael and Sam, but not me?” Celia snapped. “Why didn’t you think that I could handle this?”

“I was scared, and I didn’t know how to tell you!” Lucy explained. “Do you know how hard it is for a mother to hear that she might have to put her child in a psychiatric facility, Ceely? I mean, some children can become suicidal if they were abused because they didn’t feel loved, and some people need to watch them to see if that happens!”

“We didn’t move here because Grandpa needed our help,” said Celia, catching on. 

Lucy was silent for a moment but finally nodded her head ‘yes’.

Celia glared at her feet and sighed. “So are you?”

“No! Of course not! You are my child and my responsibility. I don’t think you’re at all suicidal, and I take full blame for what Wyatt did to us.”

There was silence.

“Do you hate me?” Lucy spoke up.

Celia thought for a moment, and then sighed and smiled sadly, “No.”

Lucy walked closer to her daughter and put her hands on her shoulders. “Good. Right now, let’s just enjoy the summer and forget about everything that’s happened this year.”

 _‘I don’t think I will ever forget,’_ Celia thought bitterly, but looked at her mother and sighed. “All right. Let’s go.”

“Great!” Lucy grinned happily. “I promise you, Celia, that this will be the summer you’ll never forget!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is more than appreciated, of course.. :)


	2. You Jump, I Jump

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celia makes a new friend, Sage, and meets David...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter of Love Never Dies...

Celia and Lucy came back down the stairs where Michael and Sam were waiting for them looking bored. Grandpa was sitting on the recliner appearing to be sleeping but didn’t look like he was breathing.

“Uh… Mom?” Celia asked. “Grandpa’s not breathing.”

“He’s just sleeping,” Lucy said.

“He looks dead.”

Lucy went over to the recliner and shook her father’s arm.

“He did this earlier today,” Michael said. “Maybe he really did die this time.”

“He’s not dead.” Lucy said shortly. “He’s probably just holding his breath.”

“And if he is dead, can we move back to Phoenix?” Sam asked, hopeful.

Just as Celia and Michael smacked their younger brother’s head, Grandpa opened his eyes and grinned mischievously.

“Works every time,” he chuckled. Lucy rolled her eyes and motioned her children to the door when Grandpa stopped her.

“Wait a minute!” he called out. “Since Celia wasn’t here about the rules, I shall go over them again.”

“Oh, great,” Michael murmured.

“Second shelf of the kitchen is mine.” Grandpa explained. “Keep my root beer and double Mint Oreo cookies there… Nobody touches the second shelf. When the mailman brings the T.V. Guide on Wednesdays, sometimes the corner of the address label will curl up… You’ll be tempted to peel it off. Don’t! You’ll end up ripping the cover off and I don’t like that…”

Grandpa took in a breath and sighed, “And everyone stays out of the Taxidermy room. It is my sanctuary and I wish it to be left undisturbed.”

After that was over, Lucy and the others headed to the car, but Celia stopped walking and said, “I’m gonna take my bike if that’s all right.”

“Yeah I’m gonna take my bike too,” Michael said.

“That’s fine,” Lucy replied. “Just try to be careful.”

“Wanna race?” Celia asked her older brother.

“And no racing!” Lucy called out as she was driving out of the parking space.

Michael and Celia groaned.

* * *

This had to have been the worst night Celia had ever spent. Sam wouldn’t stop complaining about Santa Carla, no racing, or anything. When she was walking around the dock, she nearly got into a fist fight with a couple of guys who were looking at her ass, until she was stopped by Michael and Sam.

“You should’ve let me hit one of them!” Celia hissed.

“Like that would’ve happen!” Michael replied.

“I think you’re forgetting something, oh dear brother of mine… that I took martial arts for the past six years! I think I can defend myself!”

“Then why couldn’t you have defended yourself from Wyatt instead of shutting down?” Michael snapped, and stopped in his tracks. Why the hell did he say that out loud? He knew he had gone too far from saying that. Michael turned around and saw Sam staring speechless and had already stopped fidgeting with his hair and clothes, and Celia looking hurt by what he said.

“Celia-” Michael didn’t finish getting to apologize when Celia roughly hit him squarely in the jaw; he felt a little bit of blood oozing from his mouth.

“I’ll meet you guys later,” she murmured and stalked off to the other direction.

Sam just stared after her, and then turned to Michael and said, “That was kinda harsh, Mike.”

“You think?” was all Michael could say.

Celia was fuming as she walked through the crowd of people. How dare he say that? He knew he was never allowed to say those things in front of her! She stopped walking for a moment and leaned her back on a building, her brown eyes gazing at the night sky. _“You stupid little girl! Do you dare defy my rules!”_ Celia flinched and closed her eyes tightly when she remembered Wyatt punch her and started kicking her abdomen. _“After all I do for you people? You should be more grateful!”_ Celia slowly opened her eyes, the memory still fresh; she felt that she couldn’t breathe and let out a gasp before sighing and running a hand through her mane of thick dirty blonde hair. Celia walked into a video store, starting to feel the pressure. A man with glasses came over to her with a smile on his face and said, “Hello, can I help you with anything?”

“Uhh… no. I’m just wandering around.” Celia shrugged her shoulders. The man just nodded but still looked at her with a worried glance as he walked away.

Celia walked over to some music standee of the full Twisted Sister band and picked up one of the CD’s from the rack next to it. She was starting to feel calmer now but still feeling a little edgy. _‘Maybe a drink from that stand I saw earlier could help,’_ she thought. _'Yeah, that would be good to calm my nerves. Just hang on a little more Ceely… don’t give up on me. Wyatt’s gone and he’s not coming back… he’s not gonna hurt you anymore… don’t let him win…’_

“Excuse me?” Celia snapped out of her thoughts and saw a guy standing next to her. He looked to be slightly older than her, gawky and nerdy with round rimmed glasses and wearing clothes that didn’t look like they fit him.

“H-hi,” He stammered. “I’m Alton.”

“Celia,” She smiled slightly.

“Are you visiting Santa Carla?” Alton asked.

“I just moved here,” Celia said from not glancing back up from the CD.

“Oh well, that’s good!” Alton laughed nervously. “I saw you punching that guy in the face. Is he a friend of yours?”

Celia was starting to feel agitated. “Actually, he’s my brother.”

“Did he do something to offend you?” the nerd pressed on. Will he just leave already?

“Hey Alton?” The two teenagers glanced towards a girl that had short spiky black hair that circled around her face and looked to be Celia’s age.

“Hi, I’m Sage,” she greeted Celia, and then turned to Alton. “I was wondering if you could get a drink or maybe a corndog for me.”

“But I was talking to someone,” he glared at her but Sage kept on persisting.

“I’ll make sure she doesn’t run away…”

“But-”

“Please?” The word didn’t sound like a plea, but more like a demand when it escaped the girl’s mouth. Alton finally gave in and walked out of the store, sulking.

Celia didn’t know what to say. She finally came up with something, but the other girl laughed and said, “Don’t thank me. I know how my brother can be around people. Especially girls.”

“He’s your brother?”

“Sadly, yes,” Sage replied. “And the oldest, too. Though I still think he may be adopted.”

Celia couldn’t help but laugh slightly. Sage laughed too. “Anyway, I’m Sage Verdant and welcome to Santa Carla. How do you like it here so far?”

“Well…” Celia began. “I guess fine. I’ve visited a few times before over the summer. Nothin’s really changed.”

“Yeah well… things have been pretty slow here. Nothin’ like L.A. or San Francisco…” As Sage was talking, Celia peered over her shoulder and saw a group of rough looking teenagers walking in the store. Three of the four had long hair to the middle of their backs or lower; one with black hair, the other with spiral-curly hair, and one that looked like Jay Jay French with longer hair.

But the one that intrigued Celia the most was the only one wearing black and had the shortest, being a platinum blonde mullet that fitted perfectly with his pale skin and scruffy beard. Celia felt her heart rate beat faster by the sight of him. Had she ever met him before? He felt and looked familiar but she’d never seen him before during those summer vacations in Santa Carla. While observing this, the man turned his head towards her direction and smirked. It wasn’t mocking, but chivalrous and flirtatious. Celia immediately looked down but she could still feel his gaze on her. Sage saw this, turned around and turned back, grinning.

“The Lost Boys.”

“What?” Celia asked.

“They’re called the Lost Boys,” Sage explained quietly so only the two of them can hear. “The guy who was staring at you was their leader, David. That’s Marko and Paul and the one with black hair is Dwayne.”

“You know them?”

“Not personally, but everyone knows them. The boardwalk is their domain. Two days ago, they and this fake group that called themselves the Surf Nazis got in a fight on the carousal, and a security guard had to break it up. Man, you should’ve seen it! It looked like David was going to kill the guy! The next day the guard went missing.”

“What happened to him?” Celia whispered. She knew that David was still watching her and was starting to wonder if he could hear their conversation.

Sage shrugged. “No one really knows. But it seems like David’s taking a good interest in you. I wish Dwayne could notice me like that.”

“You like him?”

“He’s more better looking and interesting than the other guys around here.”

“Celia!” Celia whipped her head around and saw her mother coming towards her.

“I didn’t know you were in here.” Lucy said. “I was looking for help wanted ads, and I saw this little boy looking lost, so I thought his parents could be in here. His mother finally came in and found him. Having a good time?”

“Y-yeah,” Celia shrugged.

“I told you to never come in here anymore.” Celia heard the man she talked to earlier say to the Lost Boys. David smirked and left with his guys but not before taking another glance to her direction. Celia felt her cheeks grow red.

“Uh- Mom? This is Sage Verdant,” Celia introduced. “She was just telling me a few things that’s been happening in Santa Carla.”

“How do you do,” Lucy shook Sage’s hand. “Well I’ll let you girls be and I will continue searching for a job.”

Lucy left the girls and began to walk to the door until she was by the store manager. They talked and laughed as if they were old friends. Celia didn’t like how it looked. It reminded her how Wyatt and her mom met. The feeling of pressure started to form again.

“You okay?” Sage’s blue eyes filled with concern.

“Y-yeah. I’m fine,” Celia tried to reassure her but failed. “I need to get some air. Maybe I’ll see you later.”

Before Sage could stop her, Celia had already ran out of the store. She ran along the boardwalk, not caring what anyone thought. She was disheveled, her dirty blonde hair coming out of the bun she had it in and flying. She started to cry, her cheeks streaked with tears. But Celia was also angry, furious! Shaking with emotions she doesn’t understand… hatred for Wyatt, self-hatred, desperation. The memories of the abuse, what her mother wouldn’t dare tell her about, and what Michael said. She pushed a couple out of her way and choked out a sob. The couple looked appalled and shocked by the emotional state.

Celia doesn’t stop running as she runs across the deserted part of the boardwalk. Her breath hitched another sob, but she suppressed it. Celia slammed against the iron railing and let out a sharp gasp as she felt a strange and foreign sensation flood through her entire body…

_Two men stops their horse and carriage at the railing and hop off in the late of the night. They go over to the back of the carriage and takes out a large wrapped thing with difficulty._

_“Quit struggling!” The older man hisses at the younger man. They near to the railing and heaves the wrapped object into the raging ocean._

_“Good riddance!” The old man spats._

_“But father,” The younger man nervously asks. “What if James finds out?”_

_“He’ll never know the truth unless you tell him which I know you won’t!” The man snaps at his son. “He will never know…”_

Celia’s eyes snapped open and came back to reality. She panted from running and the vision and stared at the black waters. Then, Celia started to climb over the railing, clumsily. Moving methodically, she turned her body and got her heels to the wooden deck, her back to the railing, facing out toward the blackness. Sixty feet below her, the waves crashed angrily against the poles that held the boardwalk. Celia gulped, leaned out, her arms straightening… looking down hypnotized, into the waves below her. Her black skirt and hair were lifted by the wind because of the ocean’s movement. The only sound, above the rush of water below, was music and noises coming from the amusement park.

“Don’t do it.” A voice called out. Celia whipped her head around and saw a slightly blurry David. His friends weren’t with him this time.

“Stay back! Don’t come any closer!” She shouted.

Though there was barely any light, David could see that the young woman had tear tracks across her cheeks. _'Come on,’_ He thought. _“Please don’t be stupid to do this.’_

"Take my hand,” David said. “I’ll pull you back in.”

“No! Stay where you are!” Celia’s voice started to crack. “I mean it! I will let go.”

David took out the cigarette he was smoking, threw it into the ocean and said, “No you won’t.”

“What do you mean I won’t?” snapped Celia. How dare he, telling her what she will and not do! “Don’t presume to tell me what I will and not do! You don’t know me!”

“You’re right, I don’t. But you would’ve done it already. Now come on, take my hand.”

Celia was shocked and confused. She couldn’t see David very well through the tears, so she wiped them with one hand, almost losing her balance.

“You’re distracting me. Go away. Go back to that cult or gang- or whatever you call it that you hang out with.”

David couldn’t help smiling his usual smile. “I can’t. I’m involved now. If you let go, I’m gonna have to jump in after you.”

“Don’t be stupid!” Celia snapped. “You’ll be killed.”

“I’m a good swimmer,” he replied.

“The fall will kill you,” Celia said.

“Not saying that I will die.” David shrugged, his blue eyes never leaving the girl’s brown ones. “To be honest, I’m a lot more concerned about the water being so cold.”

Celia looked down. The reality factor of what she was about to do finally sinking in.

“H-how cold?” She asked, slowly turning her head back around.

“Freezing,” David began. “Maybe a couple of degrees over. You know the story about Titanic?”

“What?” Celia asked, perplexed.

“The Titanic. The ship that sank in 1912? When it hit water, most of the people died because the water was so-”

“I know the story and the aftermath of Titanic!” Celia sighed dramatically.

“Sorry,” David put up his hands in defense. “Didn’t mean to offend you. But when those people were in the water, you can only imagine what they were thinking. The water being ice cold… hitting them like a thousand knives all over their bodies. Which is why I’m not looking forward to jumping in after you. But like I said, I don’t see a choice. I guess I’m kinda hopin’ that you’ll come back over the rail and get me off the hook here.”

“You’re crazy,” Celia scoffed.

“That’s what everyone else says,” David simply said. “But with all due respect, Miss, I’m not the one hanging off the boardwalk.”

David slid one step closer, like moving on a spooked horse. “Come on. You don’t wanna do this. Just give me your hand.”

Celia stared at the older teen’s hand wearily. She looked at his blue eyes which were filled with anticipation and desperation and they somehow suddenly seem to fill her universe.

“Fine,” she finally murmured. Unfastening one hand from the rail, she reached it around toward him. David reached out to take it, firmly.

“I’m David,” He introduced himself, though he already knew she knew him.

“Celia Elizabeth Emerson,” Celia answered back.

“I’m gonna have to get you to write that one down.” David laughed. Celia couldn’t help herself from laughing as well. It wasn’t like the fake laughs she did earlier or anytime. It was a true one. One she hadn’t heard for a long time and it surprised her. David was surprised and mesmerized by the sound of it.

Celia started to turn. Now that she had decided to live, the height was terrifying. She was overcome by vertigo as she shifted her footing, turning to face David. As she started to climb, one her feet lost its footing and slipped off the edge of the rail.

Celia plunged underneath, letting out a loud shriek. David, still gripping her hand, was jerked towards the rail. Celia barely grabbed a lower rail with her free hand. Because of the solitariness around them, no one couldn’t hear her screams. If anyone did, however, they would’ve thought it was because of excitement and adrenaline rush.

“Help me! Please!” Celia screamed.

“It’s okay! I’ve got you! I won’t let go.”

David held Celia’s hand with all of his strength, bracing himself on the railing with his other hand. Celia tried to regain some kind of foothold but it slipped again. David tried to lift her body over the railing but she slipped back. Celia screamed. David, awkwardly clutching her by whatever he can get a grip on as she flailed, finally got her over the railing. They fell together onto the wooden floor in a tangled heap, spinning such a way that David wound up slightly on top of Celia, with holding her clutching tightly to the seems of his leather duster.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is appreciated, please. :)


	3. Fire In Her Soul

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Celia tells David about her past, and he assures her that she’s not mental; Michael tries to be overprotective, but Lucy and Celia won’t have any of it.

**Previously…**

_David held Celia’s hand with all of his strength, bracing himself on the railing with his other hand. Celia tried to regain some kind of foothold but it slipped again. David tried to lift her body over the railing but she slipped back. Celia screamed. David, awkwardly clutching her by whatever he could get a grip on as she flailed, finally got her over the railing. They fell together onto the wooden floor in a tangled heap, spinning such a way that David wound up slightly on top of Celia, with her clutching tightly to the seems of his leather duster…_

“H-hi,” Celia muttered realizing how close she and David were.

“Hey,” David said. “You can let go of my jacket now.”

Celia immediately let go of the lapels and David was able to stand up. He took her hand and helped her got up.

“Thank you,” Celia said. “For saving me, I mean.”

“Don’t mention it. Next time, don’t do it again.”

“Yeah… right,” Celia started to walked back over to the amusement park when she saw David coming up next to her.

“So why did you follow me?” Celia asked trying to start up a conversation.

“You ran out of the store like a psychopath, and I got curious.”

They were silent for a moment until David turned to her and said, “So why did you move here?”

Celia stopped walking; David did the same. “You heard us?”

“I have good hearing and you didn’t answer my question.”

“It’s complicated and you would be probably bored to death…” Celia turned her head away from him, but David cupped her jaw gently, his eyes transfixed on hers. The sly smile he always wore disappeared. Their bodies were close again but they didn’t notice.

“Try me” was all David said.

Celia sighed. “My family and I moved here after my Mom got a divorce from our stepdad. And because of it we’re flat broke and we’re now living with our Grandfather. But, at least, Wyatt’s gone.”

“Your stepdad?” He asked. Celia nodded.

“After my Dad died from cancer, my Mom met and married Wyatt a couple of years later. He… physically abused us. My mom, my brothers and I. Wyatt was sweet at first but it all changed when he started drinking and coming home late at night. I felt that I was usually the one being beaten up most.” Celia was shocked by herself. She never told anyone that much of her personal life involving family.

“Did he ever try to hurt you in anyway?” David asked with a slightly harsh tone in his voice. Celia knew what he meant by it and shook her head.

“No,” Celia replied. “It was always beating me to a pulp if I did something or if he just felt like it. The last time Wyatt hit me was when I came home from school one day and I saw him and this other woman having sex in the living room. He saw me and came up and started yelling and shaking me…” Celia shuddered from the memory. “The next thing I knew… I’m being thrown to the wall and everything went black… The last time I saw the bastard… I was in the hospital. I had to go through therapy for all the trauma I went through. Cinderella Effect, they decided to call the diagnose, and they’ve been saying I should be put in a mental facility!”

David was repulsed. He couldn’t believe anyone would do something to a person like her. She looked healthy but he saw that there wasn’t any kind of glow in her eyes when they were at the end of the boardwalk or when she was explaining herself. How much damage did the son of the bitch do to her?

“I’m sorry,” He couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her. An emotion he hadn’t felt for a long period of time after he became a vampire.

“It’s not your fault,” Celia smiled sadly. “I’ve been trying to think that moving to Santa Carla is a good thing, you know? Like maybe it was meant to be or something. Sounds pretty stupid, huh?”

“Guess not. And it doesn’t look you have that Cinderella shit they keep on talking about.”

Celia laughed. “It’s like some psychiatric disorder. I hate psychology. It literally doesn’t mean a thing to me! All they do to you is ask questions, writing stuff down, play and manipulate with your minds and they’ll say while rubbing their chins and nodding their heads, "Mm-mhm, go on,” or “Hmm… interesting,”“

Celia made an impression of her nodding her head and rubbing her chin thoughtfully, making her and David laugh. Celia felt good talking like this. She was never open like this to anyone and it actually felt… good. Maybe moving to Santa Carla wasn’t so bad as she thought. They continued talking and laughing for quite a long time when they heard the sound of motorcycles. They turned around and saw Dwayne, Paul, Marko, a dark-haired girl that looked like a gypsy, and a little boy. Her brown eyes stared at Celia with surprise, as if she was caught off guard by her. ‘Probably David’s girlfriend,’ She thought. 'He did seem to be the type to like a girl who looks exotic… not some girl who looks plain or something…’

"Hey David!” Dwayne called out. “We gotta get out of here.”

It appeared David was listening but he was looking at something up ahead. Celia looked up and and saw Michael and Sam watching the gypsy girl but their eyes moved to Celia; She could tell that they were shocked to see her. She could only imagine what her mother would’ve thought if she saw her little girl talking to someone who was as rough and shady looking as David.

“I gotta go,” Celia told David and was starting to walk off when she felt him grabbing her wrist.

“I’d like to see you again. You coming back tomorrow night?” He whispered. Celia was shocked that he actually wanted to see her again. She didn’t know what to say so she just nodded her head and went back to her brothers.

David got on the bike and straddled it; the girl wrapped her arms around his waist. Reviving the engine to life, he winked at the group and they sped off into the night, though if you could see, David shot a grin toward Celia as he sped off.

“Who is he?” Michael asked.

“No one,” Celia lied, but Michael saw right through it.

“You just met him and you were talking to him.”

“So?”

“So-”

“Oh, and before you go on talking and ask, “Did he try to hurt me?”, he didn’t,” Celia retorted. "And by the way, who’s the girl that you were looking at? It looked like you were stalking her.”

Michael didn’t have an answer for that.

* * *

“So, did you have fun tonight?” Lucy asked that night as she and her only daughter were washing the dishes.

“It was… interesting,” Celia couldn’t help smile when she thought of David. Lucy saw this and grinned in excitement.

“See? What did I tell you about moving to Santa Carla? I told you it was going to be a good thing!”

“Yeah, yeah. You were right.” Celia shrugged.

“So… who else did you meet?” Lucy asked.

“Yeah Ceeley, who else d'you meet?” Michael came into the kitchen and glared toward his sister’s direction.

Celia glared back and turned back to what she was doing. “Well, you already saw Sage and when I was just walking around, I met a guy… and he was nice to talk to.”

“Didn’t look it,” Michael muttered.

That was it! Celia put down the plate she was cleaning and started shooting menacing daggers toward her older brother. “You know what, Mike? It’s been a long time since I was actually happy, and I think you should be a little more happy for me!”

“Oh, and I should be happy for you to be hanging around with some platinum blonde punk who-”

“That’s enough!” Lucy told them both, glaring — something she never usually did because of her positive nature. “I don’t want you two arguing about something like this. Now, Michael, you should be happy that your sister is starting to make friends here. Give her some slack.”

“But-”

“No, no, no! I do not want to hear any more arguing!”

Michael glared for a few seconds then sighed. “Fine. I’ll be up in my room if anyone needs me.”

He left the kitchen without another word, finally leaving the two women alone.

“I’ll never understand him, Mom,” Celia sighed.

“Michael is just being stubborn,” Lucy replied. “So… what’s this guy’s name and what’s he like?”

“His name is David and… he’s amazing. He asked me if he could see me again and I might go back to the boardwalk tomorrow night.”

“Well… like I said before, I’m glad you’re making friends.” Lucy turned off the faucet and turned to the exit. “Are you coming up?”

“Yeah,” Celia nodded her head and turned off the light as she left the kitchen.

* * *

David laid on the couch wearing just his usual black pants and shirt and was staring up at the cave ceiling. After he got back from the boardwalk all he could think about was the girl he saved. It wasn’t at all the plan he had in mind. When the girl - Celia - ran out of Max’s store, David had thought of making her his meal. And who wouldn’t try to? She smelled absolutely delicious and intoxicating and she looked vulnerable and would had tasted wonderful. Just follow her and lure her into some dark corner and suck her dry - clean of her blood. But when he saw her leaning off the edge of the boardwalk and her tear streaked face, he couldn’t help but feel what was wrong with her and that she was going to do something stupid. And though she looked disheveled and her hair was flying madly across her face, David couldn’t help but think that she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She didn’t have the exotic and gypsy look that Star possessed, but Celia was something different. It was natural and fair… but her beauty wasn’t what caught his attention. Okay, maybe a little, but it was something else.

David knew she had this fire in her soul but it seemed to die out after her father’s death and the damage her stepfather caused. But after tonight, David saw Celia’s fire revive again when they were talking and he couldn’t but feel that he was the one who brought it back to life. And after from saving her from near suicide and talking, he lost the craving of feeding on her. He felt the old human emotions that he closed for many years come back. When he was still human back in the forties during the war, David was dying from battle wounds as such his other friends (Dwayne, Paul and Marko) and Max, posing as a doctor at the time changed them to what they were now; and during those forty-three years all of the emotions were drained out of them and they became cold-blooded killers… but tonight… Celia brought it back to him. Dwayne, being the only who could easily read David, saw this.

“What do you see in her?” he had asked his best friend.

“She makes me feel things I don’t even understand” was all David could say.

What was one of the feelings, you might ask? Familiarity. He felt that he knew her before. But how can that be when he never saw her in all his life? It was getting late. Morning would be arriving soon. David got up from the couch and walked away but the thoughts of Celia and the familiar feeling still plagued him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is very much appreciated... :)


	4. Harris Cortez Mansion

It was hot! Surfers were out today, people were laying on the beach, and runaway kids were sleeping. Michael, Sam, and Celia headed over to a surf shop; Mike and Sam rented two surf boards, which made Celia snicker.

"You're gonna try to surf?" She asked.

Michael just glared at his only sister. Celia knew he was still angry but she didn't care. "And why d'you find it funny?"

"I can see you surfing," Celia explained. "But Sam... that's just too good to be true."

"I might be good at it," Sam murmured.

"Uhh... do you even remember the skateboard incident when you were six or seven and you broke your leg? Or the time when we were at Colorado for a ski trip? You decided to go snowboarding with me and Mike and you ended up breaking your left arm, right pinky and leg."

Michael snorted with laughter. Sam glared at his older siblings and said, "Shut up!"

Celia shrugged. "Whatever. I'll just leave and do my own thing. It's not worth staying when I don't even have the video camera to film the memories just like the other ones I filmed."

Celia headed back to her motorcycle and drove off searching for something to do. She passed by shops, hair salons, restaurants, but everything she saw didn't look to be interesting. After a few minutes, Celia took a turn into a neighborhood. The way everything looked, she felt as if the area was private and that she shouldn't be here. The neighborhoods was filled with elaborate looking grand houses and mansions but the one that took her interest was the mansion over on the right side of the road. It was big, it's exterior color was a brick red and a lightish yellow color and brown, and one part of what made the house unique from all the others was a swirled dome that looked like the ones on St. Basil's Cathedral. Celia stopped her bike in front of the big house when everything changed in front of her eyes.

_"Papa, this place is beautiful!" A young woman who appears to be in her late teens or early twenties awes at the grand mansion._

_Three men gets off the horse and bugee and unloads their luggage. The woman walks over and helps them._

_"Being one of the richest families in Santa Carla, we should be very thankful for the Harris-Cortez for the jobs." The oldest of the men says._

_"I always wanted to know what lied inside the house." The woman sighs._

_"It's not like we're going to own this place, Elena!" One of the young men argues._

_"At least they won't treat us like slaves since Guerrero abolished slavery."_

_"She's got a point there, Alano." The youngest man replies. The family walks up to the doorsteps and before they could open the door, a man who appears to be a butler opens it._

_"The Monteros I presume?" The butler asks in a drawl voice._

_The older man nodds his head in reply. The butler leads them inside and into a dark room that appears to be a parlor. Only three people are inside the room. A man who looks to be in his fifties and very formal, the other man, skinny, dark-haired and very stern looking. The youngest man in the room looks to be Elena's age with blonde hair and blue eyes. Elena finds him very attractive._

_"Mr. Harris-Cortez?" The man looks up to his butler. "You're new employees have arrived."_

_"Ah! Javier Montero!" Mr. Harris-Cortez stands and shakes Javier's hand. "So good to finally see you."_

_"Thank you Senor. I still can not tell you of how grateful I am for my children and I to have this job." Javier nodds his head. "These are my children. My sons, Alano and Joaquin and my only daughter, Elena."_

_The blonde man turns his eyes to Elena and smiles, making her blush and turning her head away._

_"It is a pleasure. And may I introduce to you to my sons, Dominick and James. Now we have many things to discuss about Javier..."_

_The blonde son, James, takes Elena's hand and kisses it, then smiles. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Senorita Montero."_

_Elena blushes but nodds her head and smiles. "And I you, Senor Harris-Cortez..."_

"Celia?" Celia blinked her eyes a couple of times and saw Sage coming toward her.

"Hi. What're you doing here?" Sage asked.

"Hey... I was just riding around finding something to do and I just ended up here." Celia explained. "Do you live here?"

Sage let out an embarrassed laugh and nodded her head. "Yeah, I do."

"Holy shit!" Exclaimed Celia as she got off her bike. "It must cost a fortune to live here. How can your parents- I mean, you know..."

"It's okay. It's actually my grandmother's. My parents died in a bridge accident when I was only six."

"Oh... I'm sorry," Celia apologized.

Sage shrugged her shoulders. "It's alright. At least Gran was able to take in me, the dork, and Erika. Well, welcome to Harris-Cortez Mansion. One of the oldest buildings in Santa Carla. Um... You wanna come in?"

"Yeah, yeah." Celia nodded her head. The two of them walked to the door talking when Celia felt the urge to ask Sage what she just felt.

"Hey Sage?" Sage turned her head after she shut the door. "Do... do you ever feel weird when you come home?"

Sage thought for a moment then shook her head. "No... You?"

"N-no, no!" Celia immediately shook her head. "No. Just wonderin'." just after she said this, Celia heard someone screaming from upstairs. It sounded like a female's scream. Sage didn't appeared to hear and she just looked at her with worried and confused eyes. The scream finally subsided but it left Celia afraid and curious.

"You okay?" Sage asked.

"You didn't hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"Someone screaming," Celia said. "It was a female and it sounded like... never mind. I'm probably just hearing things."

"Gran says that this place is supposed to be haunted." Sage explained. "I've never heard or seen anything before but-"

"It's okay." Celia told her. "I don't really believe in that supernatural crap and like I said before, I'm probably just hearing things."

Sage didn't look like that she believed it but just nodded her head and shrugged her shoulders. Celia wished she didn't tell Sage and that she didn't hear the female scream and wondered why she could hear it but Sage couldn't.

"Sage!" A voice called out from upstairs. "Who are you talking to? And did you get the towels I asked you to bring?"

"Yes Gran!" Sage called back, grabbing the towels off of the divan. "You probably came here on good timing."

"Why?"

"Gran's Ragdoll, Milady, gave birth to kittens a couple of days ago.." Sage grinned but then grimaced. "One of them had an accident." They walked up the landing of the stairs then turned to the fourth door on the right. An old woman and a little girl sat on the floor holding one of the kittens in the dark red room. The woman had light ash hair tied in a tight bun and wearing a Maxi dress and a long robe. The little girl looked exactly like Sage but with longer hair in pigtails and paler skin.

"Gran?" The older woman looked up when her granddaughter called her name. "This is my friend, Celia. The girl that I told you about last night?"

"Oh! yes, yes." Gran brought the kitten back to it's mother and shook Celia's hand. "It's good to finally meet you. I'm Iris Harris-Cortez."

"Nice to meet you," Celia replied. Iris stared at her eyes for awhile longer it made Celia nervous.

"Hi, I'm Erika!" Celia looked down and smiled warmly at the girl. She was relieved when someone called her attention so she didn't have to look at the old woman's eyes.

"Strange..." Celia heard the old woman's voice. Celia turned her head around and said, "Excuse me?"

"Forgive me," Iris apologized. "But your eyes. They're the exact shade of brown as Elena's."

"Who?" Celia asked, but was afraid to find out.

"Elena Montero," Iris explained. "My family's ancestor. She was a beautiful woman."

"Here's a portrait of her," Sage took Celia's hand and led her to a huge portrait. "She's very beautiful, isn't she? It was painted three weeks after she left."

"Why?" Celia asked.

"No one really knows why," Iris explained. "Most of the generations of the Harris-Cortez say she had a lover and left her husband..."

"But Gran doesn't believe it. Always has and will-"

Is that all you two and Alton ever talk about!" Erika complained. "You guys just go on, and on, and on..."

"Okay! We get it!" Sage laughed and turned to Celia. "But it's a very interesting mystery. You wanna help with the cats?"

Celia nodded her head and the two of them got down on the floor. One blue colorpoint female walked clumsily over to Celia and mewed softly. She laughed softly at the little creature and tickled it's tummy.

"We've decided that we're gonna give them away for adoption," said Sage. "You want one?"

"I always wanted a cat, but I couldn't get one because of my brother's Malamute," Celia explained but then grinned. "But, maybe I can change my Mom's mind. What do you think, Grizabella?"

"Grizabella?" Sage asked.

"She looks like the cat from Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, and I think it fits her."

It appeared that the kitten liked the name because she purred and rubbed her head on Celia's chest. Sage and Erika laughed in agreement and Iris nodded her head. Sage and Celia decided to head to Celia's house and go to the boardwalk later on tonight. Celia was just glad to be out of the Harris-Cortez mansion and yet, she was reluctant and unwilling to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is, of course, very much appreciated... :)


	5. Let Loose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David tells Celia to let loose and be herself.

“Come on, David! What makes you think she’s gonna be here?” Paul irritably asked David as he and the boys were walking around the boardwalk.

“She’ll be here,” David muttered. After he got to the boardwalk, all he wanted to do was find Celia. Truth to be told, he was never this anxious about finding a girl. Even when David met Star, he was never that anxious. All day he had been having strange dreams of a man and a woman together in period clothing. David used to have these visions and dreams when he first came to Santa Carla and they faded away over the years. But somehow… just someway they came back when he met Celia last night.

Marko and Paul were finding this annoying because they wanted to cause riot and mischief instead of finding some chick that their leader and friend just met. Dwayne, usually the calm one, was even starting to get pissed.

“Dave, there are a lot of other hot girls around here that you can already have!” Marko complained. “Why this one?”

“I don’t know!” David snapped. “This one’s different. And I like different.”

“Hmph! Is it because of that little rescue you did, or getting that guy she was with?” Paul smirked.

David glared at his friend and murmured, “Oh, please.”

“Whatever, Romeo.”

David rolled his eyes and kept walking. After a few minutes, he acutely heard two familiar female voices. One of them was the black haired girl… her name was Sage, right? The other… oh, the beautiful one… he knew exactly who it belonged to.

“Wanna get on the bumper cars?”

“Didn’t we already try it four times already?” David heard Celia ask.

“What about those tea cups?”

“Ugh! Can’t. It just goes round and round and round… faster and faster.” Sage replied. “Rule number one before you get on that death ride: never eat Chinese food and later eat cotton candy.”

Celia laughed, making David close his eyes. _“Please say something…”_

“What about that carousel swing?” Celia suggested. “They’re pretty good.”

“Come on.” David motioned for the boys to follow him. He knew a short cut to the carousel swings; He walked past the ferris wheel and then the Tornado when he approached the swings.

Sage and Celia were already on the ride. She looked happy and having fun. As David walked closer, he felt an old sensation flood through him…

_James walks through the gardens at night and appears to be looking for something. Or someone._

_“Elena?” He calls out. “Are you out here?”_

_Silence._

_“Elena?”_

_“I’m here.”_

_Elena steps out of the darkness slowly. “I’m here.”_

_James comes over to her and tries to hug her, but she rejects him. “What’s the matter?”_

_“This isn’t right, James,” Elena sighs. “Us. We shouldn’t be together.”_

_“What do you mean?” James argues. “I love you!”_

_“And so do I! But every time we’re together, someone catches us! And your family… your family hates me. I’m never going to be good enough in their eyes!”_

_Elena’s brown eyes fill with tears. She tears her gaze from James, but he catches her chin and brings their bodies together._

_“I don’t care what the hell my family thinks!”_

_“But I do! You are getting ready to inherit your father’s place of the vineyard.” Elena says. “You will be respected, honored… you can have someone better than me. Why risk it all for me?”_

_James kisses Elena’s lips softly, her kissing him back. They stay like this for a long time and finally they break apart._

_“I love you Elena Montero. You are and will always be my only one.”_

_Elena smiles at this and kisses her lover again and tucks her head in the crook of his neck. James strokes her raven hair lovingly and holds her closer._

_“We’re going to make this work. This I promise you…”_

David slowly closed his eyes and reopened them again. What did the visions mean? Especially to him. What did it have to do with him? He looked up to the swings and saw Celia turning her head and seeing him. David smirked his famous smirk, making her blush and turn away but he could see the grin that she was trying to hide.

“Oh! This is the night, it’s a beautiful night!” Paul started to sing, making Dwayne and Marko laugh. “And we call it bella notte. Look at the skies, they have stars in their eyes-”

“I will rip your fuckin’ eyes from your fuckin’ sockets, and it’s not even funny!” David shouted.

He turned back around and saw the ride was coming to an end and lowering its participants back to the ground. Celia and Sage got off and started to walk toward the gate.

“Dear gentlemen, I believe it’s time that we take our leave,” Marko said in a British accent, “and let the dear bloke talk to his lass.”

“Righto, dear chap! I say I’m in the mood for chaos,” Paul mimicked as he and Marko and Dwayne walked away.

 _‘I swear I’m gonna kill them!’_ David thought to himself as he started to walk toward the girls.

“Celia,” he called out.

Celia slowly turned around and faced David. She had to admit, even though she had been excited to see him all day, the excitement was then replaced by nervousness. Celia felt her cheeks grow warm across her face, making her feel ridiculous and childish. She was never this excited and anxious about a guy in her entire life, but something made her feel warm every time she saw David. _‘Quit acting like some giddy air-headed teenager!’_ Her mind hissed. ‘Say something!’

“Hey,” Celia grinned slightly. “I didn’t know that you would be here.”

“I did say that I wanted to see you again.” David shrugged then turned to Sage. “You mind if I steal her for a bit?”

Sage turned her head to Celia with raised eyebrows and an amused grin, then turned back around. “Of course you can,” she said and waved Celia goodbye and left.

Celia glanced at her combat boots to hide the blush that was forming again. David couldn’t help but smirk at the sight and chuckled slightly.

“What’re you laughing at?” Celia raised her head.

“Nothing,” David slightly shook his head. “It’s just the way you’re acting.”

Celia crossed her arms and smirked and started to walk. “Really?”

David started to follow her. “Yeah.”

“Hmm. I’ll take that. Although your reaction was far more amusing.”

“Why you say that?”

“You threatening your friends which made everyone look at you. I gotta say almost everyone here must’ve heard.”

David bumped her shoulder with his muttering, “Smart girl.”

“Thank you. I shall take that as a compliment,” Celia replied.

They talked and laughed for quite some time until they were walking out of the amusement park. Celia went over to where her bike was parked and got on.

“Nice ride,” David said. “Kawasaki EL125?”

“That’s right,” Celia nodded her head. “What’s yours?”

“Triumph. Has more horse power than yours, of course.”

“I doubt that.”

“Is that an opinion?”

“I state that more as a fact,” Celia smirked.

David cocked his head. “Cocky much?”

Celia shrugged her shoulders. “You really shouldn’t be asking me that.”

David walked over and climbed on the Triumph; He gunned the engine and turned to Celia. “Let’s see about that. Know where Hudson’s Bluff is? Over the looking point?”

Celia’s flashed her brown eyes to David’s blue ones and gunned her engine in response.

“Alright then,” David said. “Now you gotta try and keep up.”

He brought the bike out of park and took off, Celia doing the same. They race over to the steps of the boardwalk and bounced down. They finally picked up speed as they spun out from the boardwalk, spraying sand into the air and revving their engines.

People on the beach and boardwalk turned to look as the motorcycles roared by. Celia and David weaved around the bonfires alight on the beach. The motorcycles speed through the surf. Celia laughed at the fun she was having, her face shining with excitement and thrill. In over two years, she felt alive again. She never thought that right after her dad died and the abuse and torment Wyatt caused, that she would never feel this way again. And She had to admit, that the man she was riding with caused it. Sounds corny, but Celia knew it was true. David looked toward her direction and grinned.

They headed for the pier at full speed. The wooden pilings presented a hazardous obstacle course. Now becoming worried, Celia skidded and and slowed down. David took this as an advantage and increase the speed as they approached the pilings. He threaded his way between the pilings at break neck speed, executing turns and avoiding collisions that didn’t seem possible. Celia did the same trying not to crash but also trying to keep up. An area of gently rolling sand dunes and a bonfire came up ahead. Celia and David, already together sailed off the dune and flew through the flames of the bonfire and land upright on the beach below. 'Holy shit!’ Celia’s mind was racing. 'I did not just do that! There was no way in hell that I did not just do that!’

She looked over and saw David smiling at her approvingly.

“Not bad, Emerson,” He shouted above the noise of the wind and the motors. “Now we race!”

David smiled again and sped off; Celia took off after him. David’s Triumph streaked across Hudson’s Bluff’s flat surface. He roared through the abyss. Feeling the competitive side overpowering the fear, Celia urged the EL125 to go faster. She grinned in triumph but it then faded when she saw the edge. Celia immediately slammed on the brakes; the tires lock and the bike came to a stop. David put on the brakes of the Triumph and came to a full stop and calmly got off his bike. Celia got off the EL125 and strode over to David and punched him.

“Are you frickin’ crazy?” she shouted. “Trying to go who knows how goddamn fast and nearly getting ourselves killed! I should kill you for that! It was idiotic! Foolish. It was… the greatest fun I’ve ever had in a long time.”

This made David a little dumbstruck (something that never happened to him before) and amused. “You’re yelling at me and now you’re happy?”

Celia blushed a little and sat down on the cold, moist earth. “I really should keep on yelling at you until I lose my voice and yet I just have to thank you instead.”

David sat down along beside her, wanting to know more.

“Stupid, I know. But the adrenaline… it was just amazing! I never thought of ever going to that limit before.”

“You’re welcome,” David replied.

It was silent for sometime between them, the only sound was the Pacific Ocean crashing it’s waves against Hudson’s Bluff.

“So, what about you?” Celia spoke up. “I’ve already told you about my background, so I find it fair you tell me yours.”

“What can I tell you?” David let a bitter laugh. “Nothin’s really important.”

“I’m interested,” Celia shrugged her shoulders.

“You really wanna know?” David asked. Celia nodded her head.

“All right. After my mom died, my dad didn’t give a shit about me and my brother, Shane and left. Then Shane left, and since then, I’ve been on my own. I met Dwayne, Paul, and Marko later on and we went around the United States, Mexico, Europe, and then we came and stayed here ever since.”

“It’s sad, and yet interesting altogether,” Celia thought aloud. “I guess women must’ve fallen all over you.”

“I’ve always had that charm,” David smirked his usual smirk.

“Nice try. But I’m not falling,” Celia rolled her eyes and sighed. “I feel like such an idiot! All day I was waiting for night to come so I could just see you again.”

“Well, here you are.”

“Here I am. I… I wanted to thank you again for what you did last night.”

“You’re welcome, Celia.”

She loved how he said her name. It was thick and husky. Nothing like this made her feel that way before. “Look. I know what you’re thinking. Poor little new girl. What does she know about misery.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” David shrugged. “You’re story sounded more pathetic than mine.”

“I just had to get away… just run and run and run…” Celia explained. “And then I was at the edge of the boardwalk. I thought that this would be my chance to escape! To be free from everything and everybody!”

“Woo! Preach it, sister! Amen! You would be free!” David shouted and clapped his hands together. “ ’Course, you’ll be dead.”

Celia thought about this for a moment and groaned. “Oh God, I am an idiot. I’m sorry, You’re here explaining about yourself and then I start to complain about my life.”

“I don’t mind,” he said nonchalantly.

“It’s strange,” Celia thought aloud. “I now wish that I was more like you. You’re not afraid about taking risks. You just do it.”

“Then do it.”

“Excuse me?”

“Go and do it,” David repeated. “Go on and take risks. Let loose.”

“I wish it were that easy.”

“It is.”

Celia scoffed and shook her head. “It’s not! I’m about to become a senior, I’m trying to find a college… And my mom! There is no way she would let me.”

“There’s no letting!” David argued. “There’s just doing.”

Celia sighed exasperatedly. “You are so annoying!” She scoffed.

David laughed heartily at this and reached behind her back to get her bag. “Why do you carry this thing around with you? I saw you with it last night.”

“Give it back! There’s nothing you wanna see in there!”

Celia reached in vain for her bag, but David held it up with one arm and looked inside; he took out a black notebook and flipped through the pages.

“So you’re an artist?” He asked. Celia nodded her head. On her sketches, each one had an expression of humanity: an old woman’s hands, a portrait of Bob Marley, a sleeping man, a father and daughter leaning on a rail. The faces were luminous and alive. Celia’s sketchbook was a celebration of the human condition.

“Celia, these are very good…” David said. “Really good…”

“My dad taught me how to draw and then I took up learning art in school,” Celia explained. “It’s always been my dream to become an artist. To go to Paris to and draw and paint. Even if it doesn’t make a lot of money, I know I’ll be doing what I love the most. Turn to the next page.”

David turned the page and saw a picture of an old black woman in a park feeding pigeons.

“Everyday after school, I would go to the park and draw this woman. She told me one day she was a prostitute in the twenties. They called her the Black Diamond. Well, anyway, she had this lover and he died of cancer, and that the park was their favorite place. So, every day, the woman would come and sit on the bench… waiting for her love to take her away.”

“You’re very talented,” David gave Celia back the sketchbook. “You see people. I’ll never understand why you want to be me.”

“I already told you. You’re able to take risks and you don’t care what people think about you. I mean, you just take off to wherever you please and don’t care,” Celia said and smiled. “Teach me how to do that. Let’s go to Mexico and see the pyramids and get drunk with tequila.”

David couldn’t help but grin at the girl’s enthusiasm. “All right, we’re going. We’ll drink tequila and cheap beer, go to fiestas, and ride on donkeys.”

“And what else?” Celia laughed. “And what else we’ll we do?”

“I’ll teach you how to chew tobacco like a man.” David said in a John Wayne accent.

“And spit like a man!”

“What? Your dad and brothers didn’t teach you?”

“No,” Celia laughed again.

“Well then, it’s a good time to learn.” David pulled her up by the hand and brought her near the edge. He screwed up his face and spit. It arced out over the water.

Celia made a face and said, “That’s disgusting!”

David ignored the comment and turned to her. “Now you try.”

Celia screwed up her face and spit. A pathetic little bit of foamy spittle ran mostly down her chin before falling off onto the ground.

David shook his head. “Nope, that was pitiful. Here, like this… you hawk it down… HHHNNNK!… then roll it on your tongue, up to the front, like thith, then a take in a big breath and PLOOOW! You seen the range on that thing?”

Celia went over the steps in her head. 'Hawk it down and then the rest.’. David coached her through, while doing the steps himself. She let it fly. So did he. Both of the gob comets fly over the ocean.

“That was great!” David said. “Never thought a girl could actually do it.”

Celia turned to him, face alight, and then thought about what Sage said earlier when they arrived at the boardwalk.

“Hey, David,” she said. “There’s gonna be a concert tomorrow night and I was wondering… you know…”

“Do you want me to pick you up?” Celia couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Sure she wanted to ask him, but she didn’t think he would agree to go.

“Y-you could just meet me there.”

“Sounds good,” David replied. “What’re you looking at?”

“Nothing.” Celia replied. “Just thinking about what you said. About seeing people. You see them too, you know.”

“I see you.”

Celia lowered her head and brought it back up, smiling. “And?”

David smirked and pecked her on the cheek and whispered in her ear, “You wouldn’t have jumped.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is, as usual, very much appreciated... :)


	6. Who Ever Heard Of A Strike Four?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another typical evening in the Emerson household.... or so it seems on the outside. Celia then remembers another incident with her stepfather Wyatt...

Saturday night. Everything in the Emerson household seemed fine and peaceful. Lucy was at work, Grandpa was in the Taxidermy room working on a new project and Michael was in his room. Yep, everything seemed fine and normal when a loud scream was heard. Sam came barging in Celia’s room where she and Sage were looking for an outfit for Celia to wear for her date with David.

 _“Look!”_ he yelled, holding up a comic book. _“Look what your cat did to my comic book!”_

Celia looked at the ruined book and said, “She peed.”

“This is a limited edition of my Spiderman comics!” Sam retorted. “And that thing ruined it!”

“She’s just a kitten and she can’t help it!” Celia shot back. “Now leave me alone.”

Just when Sam was about to say something else, Grizabella walked in the room with an insect in her mouth.

“Ugh!” Sam made a hateful and disgusted face to the cat. “How can you even stand that?”

“Clever Grizabella, did you catch that all by yourself?” Celia picked up Grizabella and stroked her fur.

“I can’t believe you’re actually complimenting it!”

Celia turned her attention away from Grizabella and glared at Sam. “What’s your problem? Everyone else in this entire household likes and accepts her! My God! Even **Nanook** likes her and doesn’t pay any attention to her.”

“What’s goin’ on?” Michael came into Celia’s bedroom looking tired and irritated. He had been sleeping the entire day and was sick with all the screaming and yelling inside the house.

“WILL EVERYONE WHO IS A DUMBASS MALE PLEASE LEAVE!” Celia shouted.

“Fine! You didn’t have to shout.” Sam grumbled. “Stupid cat!”

Now that earned our dear Sam Emerson a thrown object to the head by his sister. Celia sighed angrily and continued in her search for an outfit.

“Where you going tonight?” Michael asked.

“Out,” Celia retorted. “As if it’s any of your business.”

“Where?”

“The boardwalk,” Celia replied.

“With who?”

“Stay out of my personal business!”

“I think I have a right to know!”

Celia whipped her head around angrily, her brown eyes shooting deadly daggers. “Fine! If you want to know, I’m going on a date with David tonight and there’s nothing you can do to stop me from going!”

“I don’t like it,” Michael said.

“Then don’t!” But it didn’t appear Michael was listening to his sister’s retort. His mind went somewhere that happened the night before…

_Michael walked in the woods with David and the boys. He had passed drinking the so called ‘blood’ of his initiation and now the boys were taking him somewhere for the second part._

_“So, Michael,” David turned to him. “What’s your sister like?”_

_**'He wants to know about Celia?’** Michael wondered. “Why d'you wanna know about her?”_

_David shrugged. “Curiosity.”_

_“Nothing really. Has a short fuse when irritated and angry and is not afraid to tell anyone off for others and herself.”_

_David smirked and chuckled his signature chuckle. “Heh. It’s sounds like something she would do.”_

_“Why’re you so interested in Celia?” Michael asked. “She’s a know-it-all, stubborn-”_

_“Some of the things that I find interesting about her.”_

Michael furrowed his eyebrows at David’s comment. Suddenly, he felt the emotions of anger and pain flood through him…

_Alano, Joaquin, and two of their other friends walk briskly through the halls of Harris-Cortez mansion to the place where the person they know would be in: Dominick Harris-Cortez’s study. They could hear shouting coming from inside the door, but this did not stop Alano’s anger as he barges in the room. Dominick has his arms around one of his whores and he and James are fighting. Alano walks over to Dominick as a madman and punches him. Joaquin and his friends have to restrain Alano from strangling the man._

_“YOU BASTARD!” Alano screams. “YOU SICK BASTARD!”_

_“And what trouble did I do to you, Senor Montero?” Dominick calmly asks._

_“I know what you did! I know what you did to Elena and you’re going to pay!”_

_“Ah yes! James and I were just discussing about your-er-adulterous sister.”_

_“Oh! And what’s that exactly? More lies?” Joaquin savagely says._

_“James don’t listen to him!” Alano tells James. “Elena loved you and your son more than anything!”_

_“I think it’s time for you to leave Montero-”_

_“You shut the hell up!” Alano turns to Dominick, a look of pure contempt and looks that he is about to commit murder._

_“You killed her! I know you did!”_

_“Senor Montero, you are trying my patience-”_

_“Elena never loved you. You couldn’t handle it every time you saw her with James and Christian. And you got rid of her the way you always do whenever you don’t get what you want-”_

_“NOOO!” James screams at his brother but it is smother by the loud crack of a gun._

_Alano slumps to the floor listlessly, his hand clutching his side. With a little bit of life still in him, he raises his eyes to Dominick and mutters the last word he would ever say._

_“Asesino…”_

_'What the hell did it even mean?’_ Michael thought to himself. _'This has never happened before. Probably just a side effect from last night.’_

“Do you even hear me?”

Celia’s voice brought Michael back to reality. He glared at her, but it didn’t phase her. “You’re not going.”

“You’re not mom or dad to tell me what I can or can’t do! I am able to make my own decisions! Now get out!” Celia pushed her brother out of her room and slammed the door. She went back over to her closet and drawers and sighed irritably.

“Nothing in here is good!” She shouted. “We’ve been looking for an outfit for two hours and I still can’t find anything to wear and I’m gonna be late!”

“Why don’t you let me look?” Sage suggested, getting off the bed. “There’s gotta be something in here that you like.”

Sage threw out several clothes out of the closet and the drawers without even looking back. “You just need to look really hard. So what did you and David do last night?”

Celia just shrugged. “Nothing. We raced, we talked, we laughed. That was basically it.”

“That’s all?” Sage complained. “No kissing?”

“Nope.”

“No steamy hot make out sessions?”

“Nada.”

“Not even a hug?”

“Nothing happened!” Celia replied. “We’re just friends and that’s all we’ll ever be.” Celia stopped herself from talking. Friends. Is that all she’ll ever be with David? Is that what she wants? Sure David saved her from doing something moronic and she was nice and showed gratitude to him by showing friendship. It always seemed when they were together that David wanted something more and it showed when they were flirting and he kissed Celia on the cheek. But did it make her want something more? Maybe she did but she couldn’t let herself allow that, oh no! Celia had gotten hurt too many times to let someone into her heart. When cancer had taken her father away, that was strike one; when Wyatt came into the picture and seem like the perfect man but was a monster, that was strike two and when Wyatt landed Celia into the hospital, that was strike three and Celia’s heart became ice cold and numb. And when she was with David, she couldn’t help but feel that he was holding something back from her. She didn’t know why she felt that way but she just did. Whatever he was hiding, it couldn’t be anything horrible but what if it was? Celia found the thought absurd but still wondered. Could it be that’s the reason she’s afraid to have something more? But David made her feel safe and that maybe she could trust again.

“He’s like an angel. My angel.” Celia smiled at the thought. She knew she could trust David. Knew that he would never harm her and would keep her safe. And maybe, when the right time came, he would tell her his secret.

“Ah! Here we go!” Sage exclaimed, pulling out a green dress with black velvet roses and giving it to Celia. “What about this one?”

“I’ve forgotten about that one,” Celia said. “I think the last time I’ve worn it was last Christmas here.”

“I think this dress is the one!” Sage clapped her hands together. “Now we just need to find you some shoes…”

“Uhh… that won’t be necessary, Sage. I’ll just wear my converses.”

“Those aren’t date shoes!” Sage pouted. “You need heels or maybe ballet flats. And you are most definitely not wearing those combat boots!”

“Sorry. The converses are staying.”

“Can’t you reconsider?”

“Nope.”

“Fine,” Sage sighed in defeat. “I need to get home but make sure you tell me everything.”

“O.K!” Celia laughed. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.”

David leaned against Max’s video store, smoking the last of his cigarettes. In about a few minutes, Celia would be at the boardwalk to meet him. Dwayne, Paul, and Marko had left earlier, but not without giving their friend another hard time. Paul and Marko somehow found it incredibly amusing to see David being anxious over a girl that he only met at least two days ago and tried to find every moment to give him a rough time. Dwayne, being the only one that came close to understand David’s fascination with Celia left him alone, but only made a few comments with Paul and Marko in their little tease. Max didn’t know about anything, thank god! But David wondered if it was just an act. When David decided to go after Celia when she ran out of the video store, Max’s eyes followed her every movement and by the time David followed, he was sure that Max was watching him. And Star? What did she think about all of this? Star didn’t necessarily care that David found someone to be his new “interest” but she would only pray that he wouldn’t hurt Celia in the end.

“From what you’ve told the boys, she sounds fragile.” David remembered Star saying.

“She’s getting better,” David had remarked. “Celia is better when she’s with me.”

“So you keep telling everyone!” Star snapped. “But one thing that you say or do, she’ll return to her original state.”

David couldn’t help but wonder about what Star had said. What would happen if he ended up hurting Celia? Would she really go back to the point where she thinks that life is not worth living for? David found it crazy. Celia was a strong and good girl and it wasn’t like he was going to show his true self. But what would happen if he did? Would she react the way Star had? Frightened, angry, betrayed? After David showed himself to Star and made her and Laddie vampires, any single chance of love and a solid relationship was destroyed. Star tried to keep her distance from her former lover and David knew that she saw something in Michael, to which he decided to use that to bring Michael in to join them. With everything that happened with him and Star and hanging out with Celia, David couldn’t help but wonder if the same thing would happen again. Celia was different from Star but that didn’t mean the past would repeat itself. Did he like Celia? Very much. Love her- ‘What the hell?’ David thought. Yeah he liked Celia, but loved her? He only just met her two days ago! But then there was that special kind of connection between them. David ran a hand through his hair and sighed. He didn’t know how to explain it but besides the instant connection, it was like Celia made him feel different. That he wanted to be different.

David flicked his cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his boot heel. He turned his head straight ahead and slightly dropped his mouth open. Celia walked over in a green dress with a slight blush forming across her face; He thought she looked beautiful. ‘Idiot! Get your frickin’ self off the wall and go to her!’ David’s mind screamed. He cleared his head and walked toward Celia.

“Hey,” He said. “Y-you look great.”

“Thanks,” Celia blushed slightly. “You look the same.”

“What? Did you expected me all dressed up in a white suit and black shoes like John Travolta?”

Celia laughed. David grinned, feeling quite proud that he was able to make Celia feel that she was worth it. “You ready to go?”

Crowds of people filled the entire area of the concert. Everything was loud and alive with music, laughter and raucous carrying on. The band kept on playing their music loud and boisterous to keep their crowd happy and excited, drumming their heads and stomping their feet to the beat of the song, guitars, piano and drums. People of all ages were dancing, talking, drinking beer, smoking, laughing, and even brawling!

The only one who wasn’t joining part of anything was David. He watched Celia dancing and enjoying the time she was having. He had to admit, that she was a very good dancer. It looked that maybe Celia had taken dance lessons before from the way seeing her body moved gracefully in the crowd of people. David suppressed a moan. Oh God, how he wanted to touch the bare skin of her arms and shoulders and neck; it seemed so tempting and sinful.

Celia turned around and walked toward him with a wide grin and said, “Come on! You gotta dance.”

“No way. I can’t dance.”

“It’s easy! Come on, I’ll show you,” Celia grabbed David’s hand and led him through the crowd. “All you have to do is just feel the music and let it take it’s course. Don’t think.”

They started to dance like they were cool, terribly clumsy but then getting into rhythm, dancing more smoothly, Celia grinding up against David with her hands up in the air and David’s arms around her waist. David thought to himself, “Who knew a girl like her who looks innocent to be… unbearably sexy?”. Then again, Celia wasn’t anything like an innocent and naive leaned her head back, neck long and alabaster pale against his shoulder. Hesitantly, David trailed a couple kisses against her skin, smirking in satisfaction as he heard Celia’s breath hitch and sighed.

“Well I must say sir, that you are doing quite well.” Celia teased.

“I’m always full of surprises,” David whispered in her ear, earning him a smack on the side of his head. After the song was over, David took Celia over to a crowd of men selling alcohol. He took two beers and gave the other to Celia.

“Isn’t this illegal for a minor?” Celia asked, nervously.

“Security guards aren’t here yet, so you’re able to do it…” David replied then smirked wickedly. “Unless you’re scared that your mommy will find out.”

Celia glared menacingly at her companion, opened the drink and took a large swig. She made a face and spitted it out. “That’s disgusting! How can you even drink this crap?”

“You’re not suppose to think about the taste.” David smirked.

Celia rolled her eyes and tried to do it again. It was a much better success but it looked like she still hated it. “Never again.”

“It’s alright, girly,” one of the older men in the group said. “Not all women are tough enough to do it.”

That little comment made Celia irritated. David saw the fire sparking in her chocolate eyes and knew the drunk made a big mistake.

“Not tough enough, huh?” Celia remarked. “You think all you big men are tough?”

The men nodded. Celia raised her head high and said, “Let’s see you do _this_.”

Celia went to a place that still had people around, but slightly vacant. David followed giving her room. In her converses, Celia assumed a ballet stance, arms raised, and went up on point, taking her entire weight on the tips of her toes. The guys gaped at her incredible muscle control. Celia stayed like this for a minute and came back down, then her face screwed up in pain.

“Owww!” Celia grabbed her foot and started hopping around, starting to lose her balance. David caught her as she lost her balance and everyone cracked up.

“I haven’t done that in years!” Celia laughed. David chuckled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The men whistled and laughed at the couple and left them alone. Everything became still around them. Celia brought her chocolate eyes up to see David’s cerulean eyes. David stroked her face with his gloved hand then through her thick dirty gold hair.

“You’re so beautiful,” David whispered.

Celia’s cheeks turned a slight red. No one had ever called her that. Thoughts were spinning inside their heads. Neither of them didn’t know what to say. They just stayed rooted gazing at each other.

Tenderly, David brought his lips to hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist and Celia laid her hands against his chest. She felt her body melt into his as she pressed herself against him. The kiss was gentle, passionate, and unhurried. They wanted to savor this amazing moment, as if they would never see each other again. Time stood still for them; they didn’t care if anyone saw them or what was happening. Celia moaned in pleasure as David’s rough beard prickled her face and chin. She took her hands off his chest and entwined her arms around his neck. David’s hold became tighter as he lifted Celia slightly off the ground, her feet resting on his. Everything disappeared as David held onto Celia and as the kiss grew deeper and deeper. As they gave into each other, a new, strong sensation flooded through them…

_A man and woman stand in front of an altar for a small, quiet wedding. The only witnesses are the preacher, his wife, a choir boy and the woman’s brothers. As the preacher finishes the wedding vows, the bride and groom turn to each other and seal their union with a kiss._

_The preacher smiles warmly and says, “Congratulations, James and Elena Harris-Cortez…”_

David and Celia broke apart for air. Whatever the vision meant to them, they didn’t care. Nothing would ruin this moment for them. David kissed Celia’s face and neck lovingly, making her grin. Celia kissed David once more but then pushed him off of her; her body became stiffen as an old unwanted memory came back.

**_Celia and Lucy sat on the couch watching 'Casablanca’. It was one of the movies that the mother-daughter pair always loved to watch together when there was nothing to do._ **

_**Celia sighed in content as she saw Rick and Ilsa being together one last time. “He shouldn’t have let her go.”** _

_**Lucy smiled and said, “He loved Ilsa that much to let her be with her husband. That’s true love.”** _

_**“I wanna love like that,” Celia said. I want someone who’ll truly love and respect me. Make me feel like that I’m worth it.“** _

_**Lucy smiled at her only daughter and kissed her head. The door slammed open and closed as Wyatt came in. He actually looked sober but irritable. "What’re you ladies talkin’ about?”** _

_**“Nothing, Wyatt,” Lucy replied stiffly. “Celia was just telling me about how she would want someone to truly love and respect her. Sounds like the ideal man, wouldn’t you say?”** _

_**“Isn’t that right?” Wyatt walked over to the couch and towered over Celia. Suddenly, he roughly took her by the hair and flung her to the floor and kicking her abdomen several times.** _

_**“Wyatt! Stop it, please-” But Lucy’s cry was overpowered by Wyatt’s shouting.** _

_**“DON’T YOU EVER GO FILLING YOUR MOTHER’S FUCKING HEAD WITH THAT PIECE OF SHIT, YOU LITTLE BITCH! SHE’S PERFECTLY HAPPY WITH ME! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?”** _

_**“Yes! It won’t happen again! Just please stop it!” Celia cried out in pain. Wyatt finally subsided his torture.** _

_**He knelt down to meet his stepdaughter’s frightened eyes and said, “Do you really think someone can actually love you? What can you give to a man? You’re not beautiful and you’re not smart. You’re just a worthless piece of shit! Never forget that…”** _

“Celia?” Celia glanced up and saw David’s concerned face.

She felt the tears rushing to her eyes and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”

She ran. Confused and shocked, David ran after her. He finally caught up with Celia and turned her to face him. He saw her crying and started to wonder if he did something wrong.

“What’s wrong? Did I do something-”

“No!” Celia said. David became quiet and stared at her. “I’m sorry- but I can’t do this.”

“What’re you talking about? If it’s something that I did-”

“Please David, don’t. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re a great guy and it was fun. But, I’m not like that gypsy girl or any type of girl you’re into. I’m sorry. Please just stay away from me.”

Celia released her hand out of David’s strong grip and ran off. For the first time in so many years, David felt an emotion that even didn’t come when he met Star as he watched Celia leave. Longing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nice feedback is, of course, very much appreciated... :)


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